Edible Sensory Bins
Since my children were about 8 months they loved to play with sensory bins! We’ve done everything from scooping black beans and rice, to sorting poof balls into toilet paper rolls, to kinetic sand and excavators. This time, I wanted to do something a little different! My least favorite part of sensory bins is making sure my 2 and 3 year old keep the items from the sensory bin, out of their mouth. Even though they know they shouldn’t stick it in their months, they still do. So today I decided to try completely edible sensory bins!*This post may contain affiliate links where I may earn from qualified purchases.For these bins you’ll need the following!
- 16qt Plastic Bin – I bought these at target and they’ve been great!
- Tapioca Pearls or Boba Pearls – You can find these on Amazon!
- 6oz Jello – you can use any flavor or color I used Berry Blue
- Strawberry Cheerios
- Gummy fish or bears
- Annies Chocolate Chip Bunnies
- Blender or food processor
Step by Step
The first step is to make the Tapioca Pearls. If you’re using the brown sugar ones I would recommend following the package directions. I found that the color ones need a little more time than the brown sugar ones. I brought about 20 cups of water to a rolling boil and slowly added in my pearls. After about 5 minutes they started floating to the top. Turn heat to medium-high, cover, and let simmer for about 5 minutes. The package directions will tell you 2 minutes, but I feel like 5 minutes gives you the correct consistency. After 5 minutes, let sit for another 2-5 minutes covered. Once the time is up, you can transfer the pearls to a bowl of cool water and let them set.
The next step is to make the Jello. I followed the quick set directions on the back of the package. You’ll want to bring 1.5 cups of water to a boil. Add in the whole packet of jello and mix for 2 minutes until fully dissolved. Then add 2.5 cups of ice water. After you have this all combined add it to your bins. I put it in my fridge on an angle and added in some tapioca pearls as the jello set!
The directions say about 30-90 minutes to set but ours took closer to 2.5 hours. After the Jello set, it’s time to make the edible sand! I used strawberry Cheerios, but you can use any type of cereal you like! I used a handheld blender to crush the Cheerios into a sand-like mixture. A food processor would work better if doing larger amounts.
The final steps are assembly and playtime!Assembly was pretty easy after the Jello sets! You add the Cheerio sand mixture to the opposite end of the bin than your Jello. Then add in your extras! My kids had a blast with this edible sensory bin!
